Actuation overcap for aerosol can

ABSTRACT

A combination dispenser and closure cap includes a transverse top wall having a dispensing arrangement including central opening that communicates fluidly with means for engaging and depressing the valve stem of a pressurized can. A peripheral skirt is formed integrally with the top wall and is provided with a plurality of angularly spaced apart recesses that are adapted to receive the user&#39;&#39;s fingers whereby the user&#39;&#39;s palm is in spaced opposition to the central opening or discharge orifice in the top wall. When the cap is depressed, the pressurized contents of the can are discharged directly into the user&#39;&#39;s palm.

D United States Patent 1 1 11 11 3,884,398 McLaughlin May 20, 1975 [5 ACTUATION OVERCAP FOR AEROSOL 3,729,120 4/1973 Sette et al.. 222/402.11

CAN 3,738,537 6/I973 Gach t ZZZ/40213 X 3,744,678 7/1973 Beres et al. ZZZ/402.13 X [75] Inventor: James Hugh McLaughlin, Dl96,685 l0/l963 Croyle........... D9/258 Ridgefield, NJ.

Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves 73 As .CntrFrNewPoduct l s lgnee z f s Newryork Assistant Examiner-David A. Scherbel [22] Filed: Jan. 10, I973 [57 ABSTRACT [2|] Appl. No.: 322,559 A combination dispenser and closure cap includes a transverse top wall having a dispensing arrangement 52 us. c1. 222/402.13 '"F' [51 1 Int Cl B65! 83/ with means for engagmg and depressmg the valve stem [58] Field at Search 222/40213, 402.11; D9/8, a presurized A P P D9,) 62/293 grally wlth the top wall and 1s provlded wlth a plurallty of angularly spaced apart recesses that are adapted to [56] Reerences Cited receive the user's fingers whereby the user's palm is in spaced opposition to the central opening or discharge UNITED STATES PATENTS orifice in the top wall. When the cap is depressed, the 3,383,879 5/l968 TlCC ZZZ/402.13 X pressurized cgntents of the can are discharged directly 3,404,8l4 l0/1968 Wakeman....... 222/402.13 into the user's palm 3,407,624 l0/l968 Taylor 222/402.l3 X 3,43l,749 3/l969 Bounds et al. 222/402.l3 X l clalm, 5 Drawing Figures ACTUATION OVERCAP FOR AEROSOL CAN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to closure and dispensing means for pressurized cans and more particularly to closure and dispensing means that are especially adapted for onehanded operation.

2. Description of the Prior Art There are many different types of pressurized cans on the market today as well as many different types of closure and dispensing means therefor. Some pressurized can designs have an axially oriented valve stem that must be angularly deflected in order to open the valve and dispense the contents of the can while other designs utilize a valve stem that is generally axially depressed in order to open the valve and wherein, by means of internal passageway means in the closure and dispensing device, the contents of the can are dispensed at some angle relative to the axis of the valve stem.

Common to all of the prior art presently known is the need to actuate the valve stem of the pressurized can with one or two fingers of one hand so that the contents of the can may be dispensed into the other hand or onto some surface to be treated. Typical of such prior art are US. Pat. Nos. 3,185,349; 3,212,680; 3,269,614 and 3,397,822. In each instance the structure disclosed by these four patents requires that only a portion of the cap be depressed by one or two fingers of one hand. In none of the aforementioned patents is the entire cap depressed nor can all of the fingers of one hand be used to depress the actuating portion of the cap.

US. Pat. Nos. D97,465; Dl00,5l; Dl93,472; Dl96,685; D204,5l3; D204,5 l4; D200,674 and D200,676 represent other examples of the prior art in the general field to which the present invention is directed. Each of the aforementioned Design patents iI- lustrate structure having a peripheral skirt and recesses therein. However, the first three mentioned Design patents are directly simply to closure caps that do not have a dispensing orifice. The remaining Design patents each include a dispensing orifice but not in the top, transverse wall thereof. In other words, when a cap such as is disclosed in the last five Design patents is depressed, the contents of the pressurized can will be dispensed at some angle and not colinearly with the axis of the valve stem of the can.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, in one broad aspect, provides a combination dispenser and closure cap for a pressurized can wherein the cap is comprised ofa molded plastic member defined by a transverse end wall and a pheripheral skirt depending downwardly therefrom. The transverse end wall that includes a centrally positioned dispensing arrangement having an orifice therethrough and an internal tubular boss that is concentric with the orifice. The boss is adapted to snugly fit about the valve stem of the pressurized cap whereby the remainder of the can is slightly spaced from the can in an axial direction in order to permit limited axial movement of the cup. In addition, the outer surface of the skirt includes a plurality of angularly spaced apart finger receiving recesses. Thus, when the users fingers are in place in the recesses, the palm of the user's hand will extend across the axis of the dispensing orifice and in spaced opposition to the plane of the top transverse wall to thereby receive the discharged contents of the can when the cap and therefore the valve stem are axially depressed.

In an alternative embodiment of this invention, a relatively large and centrally located opening is formed in the transverse end wall of the cap and a separate plug is press fit into a tubular boss that is integral with the cap end wall and concentric with the central opening. The plug includes a discharge orifice. The advantage of the alternative embodiment is that a single end cap that is depressed axially may be used for any number of different plugs having a range or orifice sizes. Thus the present invention, as exemplified by the alternative embodiment thereof, may be readily tailored to a wide range of viscosities.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a combination dispenser and closure cap for a pressurized can.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved dispenser and closure cap for a pressurized can wherein the contents of the can are discharged directly into the palm of the user.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved, axially displaceable combination dispenser and closure device having a plurality of finger receiving reeesses formed integrally about the exterior periphery thereof and concentrically with an axially oriented discharge orifice.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will, in part, be pointed out with particularity and will, in part, become obvious from the following more detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which forms an integral part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the various figures of the drawing, like reference characters designate like parts. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the combination dispenser and closure cap comprising the present invention together with a pressurized can which is shown in phantom outline;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the combination dispenser and closure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 with a portion broken away and partially in section',

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, exploded view, partially in section, illustrating the components shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional elevational view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown in solid outline an improved dispenser and closure means 10 and, in phantom outline, a pressurized can 11 that includes a convcntional valve stem 11a (FIGS. 3 and 5). The dispenser and closure It) comprises a transverse top or end wall 12 having a dispensing arrangement 13 having an orifice 14 formed therethrough and a peripheral side wall or skirt 16 having a plurality of external. angularly spaced apart finger receiving recesses 18 formed integrally therewith. Preferably the dispenser and closure cap is molded using conventional techniques and readily available plastic material.

Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4 it will be seen that, in one embodiment of the invention, the dispensing arrangement 13 further includes a tubular boss that is molded integrally with the transverse end wall 12 and which depends downwardly therefrom. The orifice 14 is concentric with the longitudinal axis of the boss 20. Forming another part of the dispensing arrangement 13 is a plug member, generally designated by the reference character 22 which is also molded of a suitable plastic material and which further includes a peripheral rim 24 at one end thereof. A first bore 26 is formed in the plug 22 at one end thereof and a second bore 28 is formed at the other end of the plug 22. Intermediate and in fluid communication with the bores 26 and 28 there is provided a third bore 30 that defines a transverse interface 32 in combination with the first bore 26. A cupsl gp edriozzle 34 having the orifice 14 formed through the tran-sverse end wall 36 thereof is press fit and suitse cured, such as by adhesives or the like, within the bore 28 as shown best in H6. 4. The dispenser and closure 10 is further provided on the outside surface thereof with a flange 38 having an annular channel 40 formed in one transverse face thereof.

When the dispenser and closure 10 is in place, the valve stem 11a of the pressurized can 11 is disposed within the first bore 26 and abuts the transverse interface 32. Thus, when the dispenser and closure 10 is axially depressed, the contents of the pressurized can 11 will be discharged through the intermediate bore 30 and then through the orifice 14 of the nozzle 34. It will be appreciated that, in order to depress the dispenser and closure 10, the users fingers will be placed in the recesses 18. A force is then applied in the direction of arrows a in FIGS. 1 and 3 so that the contents of the pressurized can 11 will be discharged directly into the user's palm which must necessarily be positioned in spaced opposition to and in a plane substantially transverse the axis of the orifice 14.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5. Whereas the first embodiment previously described provides for a dispensing arrangement 13 having a separate plug 22 that may include a range of orifice sizes, the second embodiment provides gadispensing arrangement 13' including a tubular boss 150 that is integral with the underside of a transverse end wall 52 of the dispenser and closure 10'. A first bore 54 is formed in the tubular boss 50 concentrically and contiguously with a second bore 56 whereby a transverse interface 58 is formed therebetween. An orifice 60 is formed integrally with the transverse end wall 52 and colinearly with the bores 54 and 56. Although not specifically illustrated. it is to be understood that the peripheral skirt of the second embodiment is identical with the skirt 16 shown in FIG. 1 so that when the user's fingers are positioned in the external recesses 18 and the dispenser and closure 10 is axially depressed in the direction shown by the arrows a in FIGS. 1 and 3. the valve stem 11a of the pressurized can 11 will also be depressed to thereby discharge the contents thereof through the nozzle 60 and into the users palm.

From the foregoing it will be evident that an improved dispenser and closure for a pressurized can has been provided. The present invention provides very simple, economical and effective means for discharging the contents of the pressurized can directly into the palm of the user. The present invention further provides for single-handed operation since the users fingers are received in recesses that are formed about the external surface of the periphery of the dispenser and closure cap and the discharge nozzle and orifice are colinear with the axes of the valve stem and of the pressurized can.

There has been disclosed heretofore the best embodi merit of the invention presently contemplated. However, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A combination dispenser and axially displaceable closure cap for use with a pressurized can having a valve item. said cap comprising:

a. a generally flat. transverse end wall having a dispensing arrangement including a tubular boss integral with and extending inwardly of said end wall and a plug member secured in said boss, said plug member including a nozzle having a discharge orifice, a first bore that defines a transverse interface for engaging the valve stem of the pressurized can and a second bore for receiving said nozzle whereby said discharge orifice and said first bore are in fluid communication with each other;

b. a peripheral skirt integral with and extending downwardly from said end wall about said boss; and

c. finger tip receiving means formed integrally with the exterior surface of said cap whereby when an axially directed cap displacing force is applied to said finger tip receiving means by the users finger tips the contents of the can will be discharged into the users palm upon initial axial movement of said cap and when the axially directed force is removed said cap will automatically return to a nondispensing portion. 

1. A combination dispenser and axially displaceable closure cap for use with a pressurized can having a valve item, said cap comprising: a. a generally flat, transverse end wall having a dispensing arrangement including a tubular boss integral with and extending inwardly of said end wall and a plug member secured in said boss, said plug member including a nozzle having a discharge orifice, a first bore that defines a transverse interface for engaging the valve stem of the pressurized can and a second bore for receiving said nozzle whereby said discharge orifice and said first bore are in fluid communication with each other; b. a peripheral skirt integral with and extending downwardly from said end wall about said boss; and c. finger tip receiving means formed integrally with the exterior surface of said cap whereby when an axially directed cap displacing force is applied to said finger tip receiving means by the user''s finger tips the contents of the can will be discharged into the user''s palm upon initial axial movement of said cap and when the axially directed force is removed said cap will automatically return to a non-dispensing portion. 